DIY Halloween Yard Witch

I found this project on Martha Stewart's webpage a few years ago. It was a little time consuming, but the results were worth it! :)

I started with a trip to Home Depot for supplies:

1 panel of plywood ( I used 1/2 inch because I didn't want it to be really heavy it was $11.00 a sheet)
Pipe clamps (same size as the PVC pipe, 1/2 inch)
PVC pipe (big enough to fit your re-bar snug(1/2 inch))
Re-bar (4, 2 foot pieces and 2, 4 foot pieces. I used thicker pieces for the witch)
6 cans of black high gloss spray paint OR High Gloss outdoor latex paint and equipment needed
1 box of 1/2 inch screws
My total was around $25.

I could not get the overhead projector like I had planned, so I printed the template out on the back of some scrap paper I had. The template was easy to layout in grid form. I attached them with a little adhesive glue spray. **I learned after doing the witch, it's easier to tape them together with scotch tape AND use a generous amount of adhesive spray. When the jigsaw gets turned on there is an exhaust that blows the papers around.**
















I then took my jigsaw and started cutting out my witch.

I've taken a few close up photos of how to cut the tricky angles. You have to cut into the angles like you would cut a slice of pie. (think triangle) Cut along one side then start on the outside again and cut along the other side. You can't make a sharp turn with a jigsaw blade, if you try you will bend or break your blade.













**Also take note of when the piece you are cutting is too heavy and pulling on your project. Example is when you cut the Witch's dress. I started at the bottom and by the time I hit her waist that scrap I was cutting off was going to be really heavy and might break where I didn't want it to. So I thought ahead and made a cut from the outside toward the waist. So when I got to that point it was already a clean cut with no breaking. (Think of scoring a paper before trying to tear it)

I got the 2 arched cats and 1 witch out of my one sheet. I think I could have fit the sitting cat, but I didn't like it as much as the other 2. **I also drew a lantern and cut it out. The Martha Stewart display has a real decorative lantern, but I was too cheap. :)In order to "cut out" the middle of the lantern, you have to start with a large
drill bit. Drill a hole and then insert the jigsaw blade and start cutting. At first
it's a lot of "chunks" because there isn't much room to move around, then you
can start cutting out the larger spaces.

I used some multi-surface sealant I had to seal the wood before I painted it. I did this because I wanted to use them for the next few years and I didn't want the wood to swell when it got wet.

*I'm on the fence on this process. I sealed it, then painted it. It was a little hard to get the paint to adhere to the wood after it was sealed. HOWEVER, if I had painted it before, and then seal it the wood would have soaked up all my paint. It ended up working fine sealing it first, so I think I would do it that way again now that I know it will turn out. It was frustrating for a while though.



Painting the witch and 2 cats took me 6 cans of cheap Walmart Spray Paint (.97 each). That's 2 coats on each piece. Now, if I had to do this over again.......I MIGHT splurge on a can of Color Place black Latex outdoor paint. The coverage would be better. I think a can costs about $11. I paid less then $6 for the spray paint. I'm on the fence on this one too as to whether it would be worth it to purchase the can of paint. But then you have to mess with rollers and trays and excess paint to store, but it would be faster and your finger will not hurt afterwards......I'll leave that up to you. ;)

Here is my own invention on the stand. First I spray painted the PVC pipes black.

I secured them onto the board with the pipe clamps.












Now when I want to place them, I hammer in the re-bar poles into the ground and slide the PVC pipes over the poles. This seemed to me to be the easiest way to store them without poles sticking out of the bottom of them.

And HERE is the final result!I'm excited to see what the back light looks like on them. This might not be their "final destination" we'll see. Now I just need to add a broom, although I might wait till after Halloween and pick one up cheap. :)

linking up at Tip Junkie